Irish traditions are an important part of the country’s culture and people. They are passed down from one generation to the next, although often they can be overlooked if you don’t know about them.
Traditions in Ireland can be found throughout the year. However, some are especially cherished and celebrated at Christmas time.
St. Patrick’s Day
The Irish have a lot of fun traditions associated with St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on March 17.
Traditionally, it’s a day of celebrations, especially in Dublin. The city’s parades attract a green-clad international crowd and lots of drinking shenanigans.
There are also celebrations in rural areas, where people still celebrate their own way. These celebrations may not be as flashy or public, but they’re still pretty great.
It’s a chance to celebrate with green food, eat traditional foods, drink beer, wear a hat or a leprechaun costume and more.
A four-leaf clover is also a common symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a real thing to bring luck.
Some shamrocks have four leaves, but it’s rare that you’ll actually find one on the ground. If you do, it’s considered a lucky sight!
St. Brigid’s Day
Brigid’s Day is a popular celebration in Ireland and celebrates a Celtic goddess, Christian saint and symbol of feminine power and compassion. It’s a great time to honor our female past and celebrate gender equality.
This festival is celebrated on February 1st, which is the first day of spring. It was originally a pre-Christian festival called Imbolc, which meant “in the belly”. In Old Irish it referred to the pregnancy of ewes and the upcoming lambing season.
There are many different traditions surrounding this holiday but the most common is to make and display a rush cross in honour of St. Brigid on this day.
These crosses are woven from rushes or straw and hang above the door of a home to ward off evil spirits and prevent fire and hunger. They are made by households throughout Ireland and are traditionally hung for a year.
Another tradition that is very popular on this day is to leave some clothing outside of a household in the hope that it will be blessed by Saint Brigid. The clothing is then used to wrap sick or injured people.
St. Stephen’s Day
St. Stephen’s Day is a popular holiday that falls on December 26 in many western countries. It celebrates the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death.
While Saint Stephen’s Day does not get a lot of attention in the media, it is still an important part of irish traditions. It is not a big festival, but it is an excellent way to spend time with family and friends.
One of the most interesting aspects of this holiday is the wren boys. They are a group of children who dress up in old clothes, paint their faces and carry holly bushes around to people’s houses.
They then sing the wren boy song, which is a traditional Irish folk song.
The wren boys were once a very significant part of this holiday, but they are now less popular. However, if you are in Ireland on this day you will probably see some of them walking around carrying a wren bird on a pole!
The Late Late Toy Show
For many of us in Ireland, The Late Late Toy Show is the very first event to kick off Christmas. It’s one of the most watched events on Irish telly, and is something that people across the globe enjoy.
The show is a showcase of the latest toys and features a group of children who test out the new releases. It also includes music, dancing and other surprises.
In recent years, it has had themes based on popular children’s movies and Disney films. It has also taken inspiration from Roald Dahl’s imagination.
Despite these changes, the show has continued to be a huge success. Last year, it averaged 1.35 million viewers.
Tonight’s Late Late Toy Show will take on a new theme, inspired by The Wizard of Oz. The show will air on RTE in Ireland and will be available for anyone abroad to watch on the RTE Player.
